Cell phones

Please scroll down through the topics here and in the General Europe section of the Helpline. You will find lots of recent posts discussing this very subject and outlining all of the various options. How likely are you to actually need to call each other in Amsterdam? Even if you go your separate ways for a bit, you could always reconnect the old fashioned way - set a time and meeting place.

I have scrolled thru before I posted the question and didn't find what I think I am looking for. We hope not to use the phones much but one of our group tends to get separated/lost so thought it might be a good idea

One idea:
Assuming you have a "world phone" capable of connecting to the cellular network in NL, you could "globally activate" your US cell phone. I did this with my Verizon Storm2 on a recent trip to NL and had not issues. Turned off global activation upon my return and was able to dial back to the US and locally in NL as well as be accessible from the US.

Ive done the rental with Verizon twice and it's certainly acceptable, particularly if you want someone important in the US to be able to call you without dialing lots of numbers. However, you WILL receive nonimportant phone calls from your contact list; even if you let it go to VM, you'll still want to know what they wanted. I keep toying with the idea of buying a phone on Ebay but am concerned I'd get a lemon.
The Verizon phone is free rental, but the minutes are not inexpensive ( $1.29 or more depending on country per minute or portion thereof). It's certainly easy tho- one phone call to order, the box arrives in a day or two, you call to activate and add your contacts, and then you repackage it when you return and deaccession it...I'll do it again this fall unless I read a post convincing me a teenager is not necessary to program my brain to use a simcard.....

If this is the only time you foresee traveling, you could just do the Verizon rental thing. I travel fairly frequently, though, so I purchased an unlocked GSM phone on eBay. It has two SIM card slots, so I keep my Mobal SIM card in one (it's a permanent number, postpaid though pricier per-minute) and a local SIM card in the other (cheapest option for local calling and back to the US).

I went with the Verizon global program it worked great throughout Italy. Never had an interruption in service. Figuring out how to send a text was a bit tricky at first. Text were 5 cents to receive and 50 cents to send. I recorded a voice mail message that said "this phone was out of service until xx date and to not leave a message. If this is an emergency you can send a text." All of the important folks (family) knew to send a text that said call home now if needed. I had to stay connected due to some issues at home and the security of knowing I could be reached anytime made the trip very peaceful.